the hen will do it but has to be broody and that is a only if they are in a mood thing not on your command. Incubating can be done on your terms...yes there is a cost involved...it is not that hard to do...they come with directions and folks here do it all the time

i don't know if mine go broody, usually i collect the eggs WAY too often, so the poor hens never get a chance, but i decided i wanted to try hatching. how much does an incubator cost? i have silkies, do they go broody?

Silkies will not only hatch their babies, they will steal a nest from another hen and hatch those to ! My silkie ends up with babies that look nothing like her cause she rolls eggs right out of another hens nest and into hers when the other hen goes to eat, quite comical.